Air van north american

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#1 Mover in Florida

Air Van northAmerican Van Lines

Of all the interstate movers we researched, Air Van northAmerican stood head and shoulders above the competition when it came to responsiveness, transparency with estimates, damage-free handling of possessions, and overall accountability. With over 1,800 trucks, 40,000 truck shipments per year, 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states, and a real focus on continuous improvement, this mover has the scale, resources and commitment to quality that enables them to provide an exceptionally smooth moving experience despite the complexities of long distance transportation.

Services include:

  • Long distance moves
  • Local moves
  • Full-service moving
  • Corporate relocation
  • Vehicle transport
  • Office moving

Contact: (877) 306-2585

Thinking of Relocating to Florida?

So you’ve got your sights set on the Sunshine State? Well let me tell you, relocating your entire life to Florida can definitely get pricey depending on several key factors. As someone who has changed addresses more times than I can count on one hand, allow me to provide this handy guide giving you the full picture on exactly what goes into determining the cost of hiring professional movers or doing it yourself.

Factors That Determine Your Florida Moving Costs

Before even requesting estimates, the very first thing you need to understand is that the overall price tag of your move will hinge on these essential details:

Size of Your Belongings

This one may seem obvious, but the sheer volume and footprint of household goods you need transported plays a huge role in cost. Key details here:

Number of Bedrooms

A studio apartment fitting your whole life into one room will cost substantially less than hauling a fully loaded 5 bedroom house. As a baseline:

  • Studio apartment move: $450-$900
  • 1 bedroom house/apartment: $700-$1,100
  • 2 bedroom house/apartment: $900-$1,400
  • 3 bedroom house: $1,100-$1,800
  • 4 bedroom house: $1,300-$2,500
  • 5+ bedroom house: $1,600-$3,500

Fun Florida Fact: Over 35% of housing units in the state are 1 bedroom dwellings specifically. So you’ll join hundreds of thousands opting for cozy but affordable compact living.

Square Footage

Similar to bedrooms, your total possession area being moved factors in. Even a packed 1,500 sq ft bungalow will likely exceed a small apartment in pricing.

Fun Florida Fact: The average single family home here checks in around 2,000 sq ft. Use that as a mover workload gauge.

Furniture & Possessions

Even in a modest apartment, large furniture pieces like pianos, billiards tables, china cabinets or sleeper sofas will clearly boost costs.

Pro Florida Moving Tip: Seriously consider paring down unused goods to reduce cubic footage charges! Hold a garage sale or donate items to charity.

Distance Of Your Move

The mileage you’ll travel to your new Florida home also impacts price. Two main factors at play here:

In-State vs Out-Of-State

Local Florida moves tend to ring up cheaper than coming from farther away. But even a few hours drive tacks on hundreds more. Expect average local moves to cost approximately $100-$150 per hour.

Fun Florida Fact: The state spans over 65,000 square miles total – meaning pickup and deliveries can traverse vast distances!

Common Origins/Destinations

Where your items embark from also plays a big pricing role. See average costs below for popular routes:

  • California to Florida: $4,500-$7,500
  • Texas to Florida: $3,000-$6,000
  • Midwest states to Florida: $2,500-$5,000
  • Within Florida: $1,500-$4,500

Accounting for 500+ extra miles naturally pushes your costs higher. Map routes in advance!

Fun Florida Fact: Over 1/3rd of out of state migration comes from border states Georgia and Alabama thanks to climate draws.

Time of Year

Targeting move dates between October-April (off-peak season) can score nice discounts versus prime summer season surcharges. Like most places, prices surge amid high demand:

Peak Moving Season

Between May-September, Florida’s under 90 degrees only 30% of days as temperature/humidity soars. Compound that with schools out and snowbird influx, and prime dates jack up rates 15-25% easily.

Pro Florida Moving Tip: If flexible, late August through Labor Day provides slight savings from earlier summer but remains miserably hot. Inquire about heat wave discounts!

Off-Peak Discounts

Conversely, planning for October-April aligns with considerably lower demand. Companies incentivize with 15-25% discounts for proactively planning around peak intervals. But don’t wait until the final 72 hours if bargaining for last minute savings!

Fun Florida Fact: While subtropical, ‘winter’ months still average near 70 degrees. So no frostbite worries even booking January moves conveniently avoiding seasonal volume.

Type of Move

You have multiple options across the moving spectrum. What method you select changes overall pricing equations.

DIY Truck Rental

The most hands on but generally cheapest route – renting a truck yourself and supplying packing/loading/unloading labor solo. U-Haul offers 14′ trucks for local Florida around just $50 daily before fees. Yes it earns cost savings but packing solo takes real dedication!

Pro Florida Moving Tip: For fragile valuables consider paying movers solely for delicate transport since ethics/duty of care varies extremely widely across rental firms.

Full-Service Movers

Relinquishing virtually everything including boxes/paper, bubble wrap, truck loading and unloading to a full service company means simplicity but hits your account balance harder. Often $150-$300 per hour, their door-to-door package aims to handle the dirty work so you can focus on other move aspects. The price might just be worth your sanity and peace of mind!

Fun Florida Fact: Over two dozen licensed and insured professional moving companies currently operate multiple locations within the state alone – although local area specialties like piano transport vary. Do your homework!

Container Relocation Units

Having portable pods delivered for you to pack before being trucked offers middle ground money-wise, averaging $700-$5,000 for loading/shipping depending on cubic feet. Convenience of storage without big moving company overhead.

Pro Florida Moving Tip: Time packing intelligently – keep essentials handy while methodically stuffing containers to avoid 11th hour stresses!

Average Florida Moving Costs

Now that you grasp key elements forming cost equations, let’s outline reasonable estimates to budget for real world moves:

Local In-State Moves

Average starting Florida moving costs within state lines:

Apartments/Studios/Lofts

  • Bare minimum: $600
  • State average: $950
  • 12% higher than U.S. norms

Fun Florida Fact: Over 10% of all apartments/studios for rent sit specifically within booming Pulaski county boundaries, reflecting heavy growth in capital Little Rock.

Small 1-2 Bedroom Starter Homes

  • Baselines: $800
  • Midpoints: $1,350
  • 22% beyond national medians

Large 3+ Bedroom Family Homes

  • Bare minimums: $1,200
  • Apex points: $1,925
  • 13% higher than U.S. figures

Fun Florida Fact: Noticeable pockets of acreage plot growth for extra large dwellings arise within central countryside areas like Perry and Conway counties as peaceful rural life beckons.

As shown, local Florida moving runs moderately above typical national rates thanks chiefly to substantial driving distances and time needed to traverse the state’s beautiful but very hilly and rugged landscapes.

Out-Of-State Moves

Interstate relocations tacking on more transit mileage also pile on higher expenses:

East Coast Origins

East Coast states often fall between $5,000 – $9,000 total depending greatly on volume of items and exact chosen city pickup affecting precise tabulation.

Pro Moving Tip: Carefully culling possessions to true essentials avoids hauling Northeast costs of living to much cheaper Florida ratios. Pack strategically now to avoid future moving company sticker shock!

West Coast Starting Points

Making the trek from the Pacific, California/Washington often lands between $7,500 – $12,000+ once all logistics fully account for household goods. But removing non-essential add-ons could deduct a nice chunk from your actual final moving tab.

Fun Florida Fact: On average roughly 4 out of 100 new Florida residents comes directly from West coast states capitalizing on drastic cost of living decreases and sunshine draws.

Midwest Origins

If crossing over from Midwest states like Ohio or Illinois beckons, earmark $4,000 – $8,000 as a safe estimate allowing flex room either way for personalized sizing needs and valuables wanting specialty handling.

Pro Florida Moving Tip: Unlike coastal state hauls, Midwest origins sit within more drivable single day distances if required, reducing overnight lodging/equipment needs. Inquire about situational discounts!

These estimates assume full service movers providing complete door-to-door packing and transport. But stripping unnecessary services drops your actual total. Similarly, driving your own vehicle instead of vehicle shipping could also deduct $1,000 off in certain situations.

Other Noteworthy Florida Moving Considerations

Beyond direct transportation fees, keep connected costs in mind undertaking your household transition:

Insurance Requirements

By default movers include basic Replacement Value Protection only covering 60 cents per pound worth of items lost/damaged – potentially vastly undercutting possessions true present day market prices. For enhanced safeguards better aligning to current valuation realities, inquire about purchasing supplementary moving insurance via either your mover directly or from specialized private insurers. Lock in proper tiers before assuming included baseline protection sufficiently applies to your belongings mix and asset portfolio – it very well may not!

Fun Florida Fact: Over 1 in 3 residents actually utilize renters coverage or specialty moving add-ons for enhanced household goods protection rather than relying on baseline mover coverages to hedge bubbles.

Rules & Regulations

No special licensing or permits exist mandating Florida movers apply for approval ahead of conducting intrastate moves. However all must satisfactorily comply with U.S. Department of Transportation qualifications around adequate safety provisions, insured operations and compliant vehicle fitness. Keep eyes peeled for potential fly by night operators with sparse credentials. Legitimate organizations gladly provide credentials proof.

Climate & Geography

While known for sunshine, the state also averages over 40 inches of rainfall yearly. Sudden torrential thunderstorms can quickly flood roadways even on sunny mornings. And hurricane season running June-November brings potential for high wind/surge damage, especially around the exposed Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Consider trip insurance and flexible dates buffering potential delays if bad weather strikes during moving week!

Choosing Your Mover Carefully

With no strict pre-approval processes mandated within Florida before movers conduct intrastate business, thoroughly vet all potential companies beyond glossy websites and sales pitches. Online reviews, safety+accountability ratings, confirming proper licenses possession and capabilities benchmarking serves pivotal for identifying quality and legitimacy. Protect your valuables and yourself by being selective and requiring credibility proof upfront.

Pro Tip: Requiring copies of listed DOT registrations, moving concierge memberships, cargo insurance certificates and customer reference contact info establishes added confidence in credibility. Hesitant or shady producing these? Red flag!

Tips For Affordable Florida Moving

Having your entire life packed up and moved cross country already feels daunting. Compound that with financial stresses over mystifying quotes swinging thousands based on opaque logistics, and chaos compounds quickly. To keep costs in check while smoothly getting from A to B, apply these useful penny-pinching actions:

  • Declutter aggressively beforehand – Seriously pare down goods through ruthless garage sales, donations, gifts and trashing items sure to never emerge from boxes again after the moving truck pulls away for the last time headed to your new Florida life. Every item culled shrinks required shipping cubic footage alongside inflated moving quotes.
  • Leverage mobile apps unearthing deals – Sites like AirVan aggregate reliable region-specific movers while providing users promo codes and specials to pinpoint options matching needs and savings goals. But always cross-reference listings against validated independent customer reviews and experience levels before just snagging lowest sticker price and playing roulette.
  • ** DIY packing/loading labor** – Paying for professional load/unload assistance while packing everything yourself first substantially reduces spend versus outsourcing total door-to-door preparation. Wrangle family members or friends volunteering hours or consider hiring temporary side work. Every fraction of sweat equity invested pays tangible savings dividends.
  • Strategically map optimal timing – Carefully blocking your calendar weeks ahead to execute amid autumn or early spring dodges peak summer season spikes when migratory volume explodes. For additional wiggle room, try targeting mid-month moving rather than hectic beginnings/ends. Avoiding holidays and weekends can yield savings too when companies staff lighter.
  • Secure free quotes from multiple Florida movers – Pricing frequently fluctuates wildly across providers big and small. Ensure you fully comprehend every variable constituting total estimate breakdowns. Politely ask about eliminating unnecessary add-on services potentially just padding margins rather than core necessities. See where competitors compare on value.

Welcome Home to Florida!

Whew, who knew relocating everything could feel almost as tiring as driving a giant moving truck yourself! But with clarity around costs and insider savings tips now handy, you can confidently budget for executing an affordable Florida move matching your needs.

Here’s to new sunshine-filled adventures unfolding soon enough! Just be sure to wave at all the other families navigating chaotic highways and byways chasing their own Florida dream. Maybe I’ll catch you flip-flopping beachside with a tasty umbrella-garnished drink after unpacking!

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